Rocketlab - is launch viewing a go?

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Eurochild

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#249387 8-May-2019 17:50

If I'm travelling down east (or as a reason to do so) it would be fun to watch a RocketLab launch (in person, not via a screen - though their webcasts are pretty solid). Does anyone know how close you can get, and whether it's worth trying to do so? I understand you can't get very close along the peninsula but I don't know if that leaves any good options.

Cheers
Craig

SEO = Rocket Lab ? Rocketlab?

PolicyGuy

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#2233208 8-May-2019 18:21

www.rocketlabusa.com

https://www.visitwairoa.co.nz/welcome-to-wairoa/space-coast-new-zealand/

"VIEWING A LAUNCH: IN PERSON

The Wairoa District Council has allocated a viewing area for people to safely view a launch. The area near Nuhaka is accessible via Blucks Pit Road "

Eurochild

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#2233496 9-May-2019 09:54

Thanks, good link.

By my reckoning that's about 26k away, so watching the 17m Electron blast off from there would be about as big as standing on the south end of Kawau Island and watching the One Tree Hill monument launch.

Think this might have to be combined with a fishing boat trip.

There's a useful note from Rocketlab here https://www.rocketlabusa.com/assets/Uploads/RL-Mediaviewingrestrictions.pdf

... and it looks like the marine exclusion area extends mostly in a Southern direction.

DaMuzzMan67

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#2233515 9-May-2019 10:25

Yes, don't let your boat go into that exclusion zone during a launch window or they will delay it... (happened last year).

Also, if you watched the recorded livestream from Sunday night's launch, there was a funny moment: 4.50 into it, a sheep is grazing right in front of the camera (How Kiwi!).

Now that would be a good spot to watch the launch from...